What frame and suspension for a 35 Dodge pickup?

[toolmanmike]

I have a friend that has a 35 Dodge P/u and was wondering what direction to go with the chassis and suspension. The stock frame looks plenty beefy and a aftermarket front end (Fatman etc) is an option. Building it on a Dakota frame is an option too. What have you guys done and what works and what doesn't. Thanks, tmm

 

[Mopardude]

I am putting a 42 on a Dakota frame. I am not far enough into the project yet to give good or bads yet, but I will give you some of my reasoning for doing it the way that I am.

- First reason cost. Drop in front suspension kits cost $1500-$2000 depending on kit than I am not even sure if at that price if that includes all hardware to make that a completed project. Dakota I spent $575 on I think I have only sold $50 of parts and scrapped $180 in metal from stripping that truck so far but I still have a lot of big ticket items left to sell. If half of everything I have for sale gets sold i will make my money back plus a little bit more. Even if i said the hell with it I have probably $100 left in metal from it yet if scrapped.

-I have a 450hp 360 that I built that I plan on using for my project and I want to use a newer trans and rear end. To use the 42 frame would require reworking the frame to fit that engine and I think most likey I would have to box the whole frame as well to do it right. Dakota Frame is meant to hold a 360 so no time or material cost to convert it. Also Dakota frame is about twice the beefiness of the 42 frame and is partially boxed already where you need it most.

-For the most part I just wanted the look of an old truck but not the horrible performance of one. So with pretty much all the mechanicals of my project being from later models. Not only do I not need to track down any 70 year old parts that hasn't been made in forever. I can go into and parts store and get parts. Also with Dakota being a fairly popular truck information about it is easy to get on the internet.

 

[Big Jim]

Go to FABO and hit up "md11hud" or his son "res21wv1" (I think-he's the one who rebuilds door hinges). They are in progress with a '39 Plymouth truck on a mid-90's Dakota chassis. Hope this helps get another project going- Good luck with the build!

 

[toolmanmike]

Thanks guys.